:Chapter 3: Partial Truths:

Megumi had returned within two hours and the Kamiya Dojo was lit by lanterns as everyone sat down with the food made in order to question Kenshin and Megumi about what had happened. "Well, Battousai?" Saitoh stated as Kenshin glanced at him, his eyes definitely the golden color that they knew showed that the Battousai was in control. That caused a good many to gasp and draw away in fear, only making Kenshin laugh.

"Where do you want me to start, Mibu's Wolf?" he asked as they watched Battousai tilt his head to the side with a smirk that clearly told them that this wasn't the Kenshin they knew. "That's a change, that it is." he replied with a smirk as they looked surprised, Megumi giggled a bit as Kaoru looked ready to attack him.

"So, your eyes are really gold?" Yahiko asked as he nodded.

"Next thing you know you'll be telling us your hair color isn't red and you don't act like you do." Sano stated sarcastically and then started to laugh, which caused most present to either start giggling or snickering. Only Kenshin wasn't finding any humor in this as his look was still serious.

"Because I am not a red head and I don't." he replied as they all fell silent, especially when he reached up and touched his hair. Red bled from it as a golden color followed. His face seemed to stay basically the same, but it was the look in his eyes that caught them. It wasn't the look of a killer, nor a wanderer, but of someone they never knew. This was the look of someone that had seen more then an average warrior and lived through even more trying events that no one could begin to imagine.

"How did you capture the should-be-dead Turtle guy?" Sano asked as he frowned.

"Maybe you should tell us the truth from the beginning, Battousai." Saitoh growled, his annoyance being shown by those that interrupted them as they fell silent.

"That I should." he replied with an ironic smirk, then it fell as he took a deep breath. He then felt a hand on his shoulder as Megumi nodded. "My name isn't Kenshin Himura, nor was it Shinta, and I have technically lived here for twenty eight years but I should actually be nearing the age of forty." he stated as a few eyes widened. Was that even possible? Kaoru was about to get up and demand something, but Saitoh's glare made her stay put.

"We got that much, Kenshin." Sano stated as Kenshin paused and took to nervously biting his lip, debating about where he wanted to start his tale and what to leave out of it.

"My name is Edward Elric." he stated as they were all silent. "I was thrown into this world after returning my brother to his body at the cost of my own life. It was a shock to wake up here, in the middle of a dirt road."

"Maybe you should start from the beginning, Elric." Saitoh growled as Edward glared.

"Maybe I should start." Megumi stated as they glanced at her in surprise. "Edward's story might be better with a bit of background."

"Miss Megumi?" Kaoru asked as Megumi gave a small smile.

"My name is Megumi Mustang, my second name is Chiyu no Mizu… I am, or was, one of the best alchemist healers in the army." she replied as the group was thrown for another loop. "What Edward used against Usui the Homunculus was called alchemy."

"Al-chem-y?" Yahiko asked as she nodded.

"Alchemy is the, presently lost, art of changing things into other things and also the art that has one basic law… the law of equivalent trade." she answered as they looked lost, well except the ever vigilante Saitoh. "Most use symbols as a focus." she continued as Edward returned the favor and resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry." he stated as they glanced at hi, almost glaring daggers. "It doesn't matter now, we should probably be getting ready for tomorrow." he added, standing up as they watched Megumi follow.

"What was she the odd foreign woman talking about?" Kaoru pleaded as Edward gave her a sad smile.

"Sending us home to take care of Shishio for the last time." he replied and exited the dojo, leaving them to think about what he had told them

As morning rolled around the usual group was gathered outside to see how everything would turn out. Kenshin and Megumi haven't showed for the day, which prompted Gensai and his granddaughters to tell them that she had left early for some place. "It's nearly 11:30, where are they." Kaoru growled as a few scooted away from her, the only exception being Saitoh who was slightly more interested in what was happening instead of the potential danger.

It was then Megumi came walking in the front gate. She wore an odd uniform of sorts-- a dark blue coat lined in silver with pants and a few other things that made them stare. It was totally different then what she and women of this time period, usual wore. "Megumi?" Sano asked in surprise as she grinned.

"Amazing it still fits." she stated as the two young girls pulled at the coat.

"Like brother like sister it seems." Edward stated as they turned to face where he was walking from. Only to be wondering why everything had changed. He was clad in black pants and a white lined jacket under a long red overcoat of sorts with his hair braided. This time he had two katanas on his belt… the reverse blade and probably Battousai's original blade from his revolution days.

"You don't wear a traditional uniform." she stated as he nodded, showing her the silver watch before tucking it back into his pocket. "Well, we did tell you we came from a different place despite the questioning."

"Finally, a chance to go back and see my brother after many a long years of research to pass through this cursed Gate without the need of a body part as an equivalent exchange." he replied as they still looked rather confused despite what was said the previous night.

"Kenshin, how can you do this?" Kaoru asked seriously as he blinked.

"Kenshin Himura never existed, Miss Kamiya, I will always be Edward Elric the FullMetal Alchemist. Only now my second name might be FullMetal Hitokiri Battousai." he replied with a shrug. "I'm leaving here for home, for a place where I probably will have to kill just to make sure that they don't rise again."

"No." Kaoru stated with tears as he frowned.

"I have no other choice." he replied as Megumi didn't say a word, but she did stay close to him.

"I would uphold the age of twenty-eight, Edward." a voice stated as they spun and faced Codex, still looking the same. "As for you, Ms. Mustang, keep to the age you have here too."

"How did you just appear?" Yahiko asked as she smirked.

"My secret." she replied as both nodded to her. "I checked into the rest, not long has passed… most believe she is a prisoner of war and others believe that you are just missing and will eventually turn up."

"Any specifics?" Edward asked as she shrugged.

"Not really, but my friend said that if you press the deal it'll only get weirder." she replied as they looked confused. "Don't ask, please. It's a long and mentally destroying story that I never want to recount sober."

"Okay." they stated as the rest watched them.

"Ready?"

It was in the middle of one of Seijuro Seta's massacres when a mark flared to life. "Take care of the injured." a voice stated as Seijuro stared at the blonde haired man that was standing opposite of him with a cold look in his golden eyes. Eyes that made the homunculus think back to a few previous memories that refused to surface. It was with this stare down that no one dared to breathe as the boy scowled a bit.